Improvement in universal shafting



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

THOMAS WELHAM, OrA WAsHINGTON, DISTRICT OE .oOLUI/I'BIA.

vIMPROVEMENT IN UNIVERSAL SHAFTING Snecieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,4166, dated January 31, 1865.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Bo it known that I, THOMAS WELHAM, formerly Ot' Nebraska, but now of Washington City, District Ot' Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shafting, which I style The Universal .Sha-fting, and l do hereby declare the following to be an exaet dessi i pion tliereoirefeierreebeing hadl to' the aoco m pan ying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereonfmakine a part of this speeitieation. i

The nature of my inveuti/on consistsV in a revolving' shaft made of flexible material, Aso as tO Operate in various positions or at any curve for the purpose of driving' machinery 'of all kinds. v E

To enable others skilled in the artio make and use Inyinvention,1 Will proceed to de- 'scribe its construction-aud operation.

A represents a base or frame upon whieli the revolving' shaft rests so as to show its operation. f

B represents 1a driving-wheel on the solid or sti ti' part of the shaft, and C a balance O1" y wheel.

D D represent band-wheels that are located l also on the stit'or solid parts of the shaft 'lhese stiti, solid, or iron parts of the shaft have soeketends G in which the ends of the ilQIi/bleluortions H of the shaft are fastened permanently bfvets Or otherwise. The ilexihle portions 1:1 of the continuous shaft E are made in sections of gum-elastic or rolled canvas or'anyother ileiible material, either lapped -or braided, eitherA hollow or solid, so

- that the shaft can'beoperatediu any position,

either vertical, horizOntaL-eurved, or at any\ angle. These sections and flexible parts-Of tle shaft I surround-on thepuutsjges with wire of suicwient sfrit'leording to thesize and powerothe, shaft., and Iwrap'the wire in al coil on theoutside Or :put layers of wire on the' inside, for: tliepurhposeuof strengthening enlegihlegnaterial andwtoA prevent it from 

